Your home is just like your body – it needs regular check-ups and upkeep to stay in tip-top shape.
According to research commissioned by Allianz, only 1 in 5 Aussies conduct quarterly checks on their home, and 1 in 10 don’t even bother with any checks at all.
When it comes to home maintenance, making sure your household is safe and secure will help prevent utility problems and save money in the long run. Scott Cam, advocate for Allianz Blue Eagle, says it straight up: “It’s the small maintenance tasks that can lead to big issues for your home and wallet.”
The official recommendation is to conduct a monthly check of the electrical, plumbing, exteriors, security and heating/cooling systems. This will keep the additional home costs low and ensure your home insurance policy stays relevant to your household.
We’ve created a monthly home maintenance checklist to help organise how you can check on each system, appliance and function within your home.
Home maintenance checklist
1. General home updates
Allianz Blue Eagle is a new initiative that aims to bring awareness to how important home maintenance is. Their advocate, Scott Cam, has highlighted the main areas where households fall short in maintaining, which can lead to unnecessary claims for home insurance and additional expenses.
In conjunction with always keeping your home insurance up to date, these are the general home maintenance tasks Scotty highlights these as a top priority on your home maintenance checklist:
- checking your flexi hoses for cracks, rust, or leaks
- clearing debris and installing gutter guards for your roof
- using smart home security, deadbolts, and window locks
- securing cabinets and bookshelves to your walls
- resealing grout and cleaning your drains
- assessing your toilets, taps, and pipes for leaks
2. Air vents and systems
One of the most essential check-ups to make each month is your air vents and systems. Making sure you have good quality air circulating through your home means there’s less risk of mould problems and excessive dust. The three main things to check are:
- Make sure any internal and external vents are clear of debris
- Ensure your air-conditioner vents are cleaned of dust and buildup
- Clean out your dryer vents of lint
3. Plumbing
Your plumbing is one of the most likely utilities to have problems in the home. Here are all of the tasks that should be completed monthly:
- Check all drains and toilets for blockages
- Make sure taps and shower heads are not leaking
- Check under vanities and basins for water stains and potential leaks
4. Home safety and security
Ensuring your home is secure means there’s less likelihood of a break-in, but also less likelihood of other accidents occurring, such as fire or gas leak. The number one priority for home safety is checking that all smoke alarms are up and running.
Other security measurements include checking that all locks on doors and windows are functioning, and all security cameras are in operation (if you’ve got them).
5. Electrics
When it comes to electrics, it’s mainly safety that comes into play. Checking your fuse box and any exposed wires for any wear and tear is your main priority when doing a home maintenance check.
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